1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera with which special functions are possible by selecting parameters, the camera monitoring camera conditions and displaying various warnings.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, cameras have been equipped with computers that allow many functions. For example, automatic focus adjusting (AF) devices, automatic exposure (AE) devices, and the like are presented as representative examples of available functions. There are also various monitoring devices for film sensitivity setting, film frame number detection, and camera shake warning.
Along with this shift to many functions and monitoring of various information, it has become necessary to display information for the setting of various parameters relating to automatic exposure, information for the setting of various parameters relating to automatic focus adjustment, monitoring of information, and the like. Therefore, on recent cameras, devices provided with liquid crystal displays or the like have been introduced.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 3-42141 is an example of such a device. This technology relates to a camera display device that displays photographic information relating to a camera on the body of the camera. A dot LCD (liquid crystal display component) is used in the display. In addition, the display component is divided into multiple regions, each region being provided with a divided display that displays subtitle information, an entire body display that displays specific information on the above-mentioned display component, a subtitle information selecting device that selects one of the pieces of subtitle information displayed by the divided display, and a field switching device that displays the information positioned at the bottom of the selected subtitle information in the display component via the above-mentioned entire body display when one of the pieces of subtitle information have been selected. The photographer operates a switch while viewing this displayed subtitle information until the desired title is displayed. When the desired title is displayed in one of the divided regions, the photographer operates the operating switch that corresponds to each region for which the title is to be selected. When a subtitle is selected in this manner, the information at the bottom position of the subtitle information is displayed on the display component by the field switching device via the entire body display.
The cameras of recent years carry out various monitoring procedures with computers. When some abnormality occurs, a display indicates the abnormality and makes it known to the photographer. However, according to the conventional technology described above, many pieces of information are displayed by subtitles, from which selection is made. Not much thought has been given to making the warning displays from the camera to the photographer easy to see or easy to understand.
As a specific problem, in conditions in which a warning is given, there are cases in which the desired photograph cannot be obtained even though a photograph is taken. On the other hand, there are warnings given which, even if ignored, do not present a problem to photography. In addition, when unique effects are desired, there may be cases in which a warning is ignored. Thus, it is necessary for the photographer to accurately understand the content of a warning.
In particular, since recent multi-function and high performance cameras carry out various monitoring procedures by means of a computer, there are many different conditions that can require warnings. It is thus unreasonable for a photographer to have to remember all these conditions and the methods of dealing with these conditions. This is particularly difficult for beginners. It is therefore desirable to arrange the contents on the camera display and to carry out the warnings in an easily understandable fashion.
There are cases in which, when a warning is displayed, the current display contents disappear or in which a portion of the display disappears. However, if the contents of the displayed warning are relatively unimportant, there are times at which the photographer wishes to go ahead and execute the current photograph. In these cases, according to the warning, it may be undesirable for the information to become unreadable. Conventionally, no particular consideration has been given to these circumstances.